Microscope and microscope slide



April 1935- J. BROADHURST ETAL 1,996,141

MICROSCOPE AND MICROSCOPE SLIDE Filed Dec. 5, 195 2 INVENTQRS Jea rl Broad/5am! .BY Charla: E Julzner ATTORNEY v PatentedApr. 193 I This invention'relates to microscopes andthe variousmembers thereof, and to theprocesses of microscopy, and particularly to means and methods for applying indexing marks to a microscope 5 slide, and reference linesto a microscope stage to enable an observer to relocate vwithease-a previously studied portion of the subject matter'on a microscopeslide. I w I In the use of the microscope, and particularly of' the field-'of 'viewcovers only ai very small portion of the area of the slide,l and of the subject matter thereonfl Thediameter ofxan'ord ha y mount may be 10 to mmJWherea's'the'diameter 15' of the field of view of a'16mm.-,focus objective is about 2.1 mm., of a 4 mm. focus objective about 0.4 mm., and of'a 1.8 mm. objective about 0.2

mm. In consequence, it may be very difiioult to v relocate a point of interest on the" slide; in the absence of land marks or guides'of -vsomefkind, after the slide has been moved about; or removed fromthe microscope stage. Thus,-fwhile a given slide may be known jto Iexhibit a certain subject matter, the exact point ontheslide at which the matteroccurs may be not only extremelydifiicult as was needed to find it'originally;v

Thus, a section of tissue; stained and mounted in the usual'way on a slide' may show'a single cellhaving features of;interest when examined to find, but may require about as much searching under high power. Such'acelL or"other'item,

is usually found in the first place by a systematic search of the slide, but whenlthe slide is once removed from under the objective lens of "the microscope, the'cell or otheriitem can only be Gil found again by a similar search, 'This is of course very undesirable because of the waste ottimeim volved, and" the tediousnjess of the search."

' 'Thefqvarious previously suggested" relocating means, such asink circles around the desiredarea are unsatisfactory, since they merely reduceIthe area to be searchedand the presence or them may obscure other subject matter of,ifxliportance., Also easily. Variousforms of mechanicalmicroscope 'graduations} or calibrations have been offered,

w r l ss a ei e w ag r w th a o'th t e I of device, since thereis no uniformity of system,

5, andunajss e men i, s ad fl e s Well as, i no establishmentotbase-linesjor reference lines; I

the use at high powers of magnification, the area stantia'lllythe "same position with respect ,{to the time or on' another microscopei A still fart est; ject of the invention is to adaptanymicroscope to edges, adapted "to cooperate with reference lines} cal axis ofT'the'microscop'e lens ,sy stemQ vice shown in Patent 451,876,176, issued Septm- V 7 they tend to be impermanentgsince they rub off S a s vevb np c d va ious. Systems 9? om iw wi r o ate a Po n one s ei show th e desired spot, when thes'lide is-replaced on the stage onwhich, itwasforiginally' charted? but the charting of a slide onone stage isusually and slide .with index .andireference 'marks" ac" pared according to an alternative embodiment v heinve i Likewise the various devicesare not interchange; able-and all are expensive." i

' The device of the present'invention provides'a simple, effective, -inez'rpensive; interchangeable; '5" means for 'IeI0Qal7lhg 2, desired pomtfwhenonce found on a slide, under any-microscope, by means v of 'eoop'erating' marks on' the slide and reference" lines on the microscope stage. i The objects of this invention are thus to rei0: locate-a point on a microscope slide afteritfhas I once been found and charted and;the-slide 1 moved; to'relocate such a point withathigh d'e' gree of accuracy; to relocate it'with lsimilar-ac curacy on any suitable microscope stage; and to use insuch relocating only simple and inexpensive I g means. still'another object is to'applyto aslide identify ng marks such that a d'esire'd point-on N that slide" canjb'e brought immediately within the.

held or view of any m croscope by means mere y Q v olf'referencern'arkson the'slide and stage. x V ther object is to replace a microscope'slide n 'suboptical axisoffthe"microscopejasatiaflprevious p v. v 2

usevvith charted slides, with only minor mechani I, calzchanges'therein. Another object is tofmodify a microscope for the'application thereto of index I 1 p marks accordingto thepositionof the ,.cente of 30, interest in the slide. a The above objects; and-others not mentioned, are attained by the use, according tothisiinven tion, of a slideihavingmarkable'or3graduated upon the microscopestage, the reference lines; 1" preferably intersecting; at substantially the, opti" Thisinvention is animprovement'pver he 'ber fith, l932ytojCh arles R-gsulznerfone r th v j joint inventors of the 'invention disclosed fan'd "claimediin thisapplication. v "Still other" objects, and'structural details of the'invention'will be apparentl'from'th'e -"follow''- f ing'description when readin'connectionlwith the accompanying drawing, wherein, l $.li x Figure l isa perspectiveviewfof'a microscope cordingto this invention, p i. .1 .Figure ,2 is a top view of a 'microscope 'slide" (prepared according to this invention,;and-1:,

, Figure 3 'isa top viewiof a microscope slide" fre 1 ;Referring to the figures-the stage or the 'microscope 2 is marked with reference; lines 3 and 4, which intersect, preferably, at the opticalaxis of the lens system 5, made upoi the ob-' "jective lens 6, occular I, and condenser 8. These z lines are preferably engraved upon the upper surface of the stage I, atright angles to each other,

- the imaginaryextensions across the opening Sin ,1

c It isv of course unnecessary to have actualjdis described in the the center 'otthe stage being the intersecting portions;- frhese reference lines are preferably applied to the microscope stage during the manufacture thereof, butt-hey may also be appliedto the microscopes already in use by the methods previously mentioned Patent crete members such as cross hairs in the opening although suchIcrosshairs are notexcluded fromthe scope of the invention."

" Send l are-indicatedtasjppliedto a simpleflsquareggmicrcscope stage; Such "reference In'the form of the inventionshown, uijfreiei:

lines can of coursebeequailyfw eli applied toja circular stage; and Toto the :socalled mechanical sta e; the later, case, (the; referenceilines should reapplied to aportion of the stagesuch the stage, baseiwhicn is :fixed in position' iwith the gpttc l the V 7 lens system.-- 9 9 1 The .intersectionni Bend 4 should coincide. with the pptical; axis OI, the

T microscope lens systemwithagood degreehof ac;-

' cumcy,'-.the permissible xi epa rture from (exact coincidence being about equal to'haliot the diameterofthe fleldct yiewpf the highestlpower ohiectiveto on that microscope, for most. sa a o se v a t ou a d s- 0 accuracy will greatlylsimplify and shorten spr v q s mh ma d s c lidedetail inEiguresQ and 3, .with1an'indexn: s?-

mb me o e -m t is simply 'a roughenedor -mar kable margin 42 tlf e}.glas ss of thelslide which may be 'produced etching, sand blasting, a suitable adherent coating, or convenient j Inxthe em,- bodiment or-Figure 3, theroughened-margin is sve m x l e be a series of graduations l along eachedge. The'mhuQghened oz rria kahle margin, in either example, isof a type adapted toreceive and :holdlappropriate marks, such as: lines of :India ink, lead pencil, -or

( j otherrznarking means. \The slide, may also, if desiredQhav-e a larger roughened or :markable p0r- 15, adapted to-the application pf descriptive notes; charting records, etc., at one or both ends. The roughened-margin 1-2 :on the slide :is preiferahly prepared during the manuactutehf the -g 1 ass;s lip for the ls'lidq since itlis most easily-an plied; at that time. A Sand blast isa means for producing the roughening, andii it is original preparation, occasionalfbreakagepf an unfinished r-slip isimmaterial.v The roughened mai'gi'n may also behpplied to'vfinished slides,

carrying preparations 'for microscopic 'examina- 1 f'tion.

In this instance however, more rcarei'ul.

rha'ndlingof "the slide is desirable, to'evoid'ris'k of breahzgenand loss offth'e preparation. Accdrd ingly the roughening be emau ed hyiKetch ing with 1a preparation such as hydrofluoric aeid y other 's'uit'alil *e'tciiing'; "compound,- applicable to glass. Theedgeof the slide maybe coated witnsme etehing preparation; or it may be dipped 1 into an etching solution. Alternatively, a mark- Irithe driginfal batting-0i the slit! 'w able coating maybe usedgsuchas gelatine, egg white, thin shellac, gum damar, or other appropriate substance, applied in a margin line around theslide, the index marks being applied with an appropriate marking substance. The graduations lief the embodiment of Fig"- ure 3 may likewise be produced by such means as sand blasting, etching who, through a mask, or a -b pp ed y print or s miiarjp -c ess, an etching paste-,,lor a coatingaspreviously described, to secure the desired marks.

,Inthe operationof this invention the customof the slide, immediately over the stage ,cross lines {and ,4. ;These-are the r-indexingal marks. a

and are obviously in aj fixed reiationshiptoithe reference cross lines} the intersectinnjof the lines,'and' the optical axis of; the microscope lens" system, and are, adapted to :the' readyremnstruction of that-relationship. H isyusually prefr erable to mark-jallafoi r margin :sidesgalthough; if

mea such asamw i a eeeis pro id {on position tofthe siide may paral l with the; e ent n ar-ks. one-moi may e tw e en e m r a be 'made with any suitable and convenient marking means, although lndiaink may be preferred as most permanentg and lead pencilas most The marks thus areadapted te cooperate withthe irefereme lines stage of same" or any other reference, lined. microscope stage. They chart the slide, is readily p ssi hie to find atany other time and, place t e onthe slide charted lh'y tthem, .and to bring 'nto the-fleldioffview'jofm i roseope are features on whichthe markswere made; v i

- This is hocomplished, at the [other vand places by simply positioning the .lupon the stage of :the desired microscope, withf the index of interestas seen inlthe field of, the mierbsoope lines of. the ,slidedireetly-oyer the reference lines v fofthe stage, thusJautomatically bringing thei I chartedpoint lonfth'e slide tothe point or user section oithe-reference' lines; andJintjo the-field of vieWcf-the microscope, withoiibithegsearchin which is otherwise necessary. This-is" '01 .eourse readily possible with 19,113; microscope c having; .a stage. equipped with the reference'flines, and t'no variation in accuracy or relocating, or "ease" of 1 operation, is Iound'Irominstrunien to metre,

microscope, so f equipped, and the some 61' mmest found without {delay or j'searchingfproi ided J m t-legsmmeu; it is not necessary, the

venient' applieationbf-theindex"marksfthat he? slidef be heldin'EanyQspeeiaI positionorfthestage, v Fas parallel withanedgeljlnstead;theslideimay' v be shifted about to hug] the -subiect' mattr into the most convenientfpesitierr mr+exammaum,.

I r I v V r 1,996,141- regardless of the angular position with respect to the reference lines. The index; marks arethen Y I a which is marked by means of a needle point orother scriber over the reference lines, in an analmade on the margins of, the sliderasdescribed,

and then serve, not only torelocate the point ofv interest, but also to bring the sli de to the most I convenient position for examination, as previous- 1y determined.

A given point of interest the subject matter "onthe slide is thus located by four margin marks,

in pairs, If there is more than one point of interest in the subject matter, all such points may be charted for relocation by marks on the slide margins. Two points may be located-{by two sets ofindex marks, in pairs as before. -However', if the same type of 'marking niediumis used for both sets, there is a possibility of some confusion, since a pair ofindex marks of one point may be combined with the supplemental pair from the other, giving a false location. makes poscation is avoided.

As shown 'in Figure 3, the slide may also'lbe provided with marginal graduations in, ;centimeters and milimeters, or inches andfractions, as desired, either'with or without theflmarkable margin. Thegraduationsmay be in: the form of lines of varying length as shown, or may be in alternative way, which is under some -circum-' stances convenient. Q In this alternative, the subject matter'of interest is foundby the usual first search, and the position of the graduations with. respect to the reference lines is noted when the the form oflines and dots, and maybe lplacedv either adjacent'the edge, with or'without a mark able margin nearer the center, or may have the markable margin-interposed between the. edge and the graduations. I If .the markable margin is provided, it may be used .as before described,

without regard to the graduations. I v a However, the graduations may be 'usedin an matter of interest is in the field of view; This drawing. 7 The record may be in the form of .a

reading'in millimeters of the distance from theleft end of the graduations to the point on the scale underwhich the vertical reference line appears, and a reading down from the top of the graduations to the point on'the vertical scale under which the horizontal reference line ap pears. Readings maybe made and recorded for all four edges, but if the center line o'fjth e' slideis kept parallel with one of the reference lines,

this is not necessary, one horizontal reading-and one vertic'alreading being sufiicient. To relo- 1 cate the point';it is then merely necessary to move 1 the slide von thest'age to. bring the recorded divisions over the reference lines, whereupon the of the microscope.

in the use of a coated margin as above described,

new, useful, simple and convenient means for in- Still another alternative'embodiment isfound dexing' a microscope slide, by which means points of interest-in the subject matter on the slidema'y, after having once 'beenfound, ,be-indexed so as to be readily relocated at anytime withlittle or no search, on-any microscope equipped with the sim-w ple reference lines. I v I Whilej'there are above disclosed butflaj'limited numberof embodiments of this invention; it

possible to producestillother embodiments with-, j

out departing, from the inventive concept herein f such limitations shall be imposed on theappended V claims asare indicated therein,'or required'by th prior. art. a

The invention; claimed is,

- disclosed, and .it is therefore desiredthat only 7:

1. In combination, a microscope. slide having subject matter thereongoccupying a substantial 25 portion thereof,,roughenedmargms on said slides adapted to receive .markswhich become integralportions of said slide, and a plurality of micro-' t scope stageshaving cross lines intersecting at the; i 1

optical axis of the microscope adapted tov cooper-g ate withmarks upon said roughened margins.

rial occupying a substantial portion thereof, and

roughened borders adapted to'receive permanentregister marks for locating a portion of said'specie men in the 'opticalfield ofa microscope byico- 4. A microscope slide having specimenmate ened borders whereby-said slide "may be placed of microscopes each having a stage with reference lines thereon intersecting atthe opticalaxis of the microscope, said slide imargins havingperr-a manent registermarks thereon positioned accord.-

ing to the location of desired'portions of the, subject matter and'adapted to cooperate with said lineson' any-of the microscope stages to position Y the desired portion of-the subject matter within the field of view of the microscopes- I 4 CHARLES F. s LzNER.. JEAN BROADI IURST.

operation with cross lines on a microscope stage said bordersextending along at least three edges of the slide, ,1 V 45' rial occupying a substantial portion th'er'eof roughened-borders along all four edges thereof, 5, f and permanent register marks upon saidrough 

